Skoda Fabia: Grown-Up

The Skoda Fabia has become a significant player in the compact segment and will once again come as a station wagon in its fourth generation, but no longer as a diesel. Unfortunately, it will also not be electrified. The pursuit of "premium" aspirations, of which the Fabia was the least suspected, is also supposed to stop, as new Skoda boss Thomas Schäfer follows instructions from his superior Herbert Diess. Accordingly, the new Fabia is expected to grow both visually and in content but will continue to focus on the affordable entry-level segment. Schäfer explains that the focus will be on Korean, Japanese, and French manufacturers:

"That is our core competition, we are attacking there and will exploit the full potential of Skoda."

Finally also moving to MQB

The Fabia is the last compact in the group to move to the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) A0 of the VW group. Until now, it used a modified base that combined parts of the MQB with the old PQ26 architecture of its predecessor's predecessor. The new base also brings new engines: these are typically 1.0-liter three-cylinder gasoline units with 1.0 liters of displacement and 95 and 115 horsepower. Depending on the version, the engine is paired with a five- or six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The top model is likely to feature the 1.5-liter four-cylinder TSI engine with around 150 horsepower. The two-liter from the VW Polo GTI is not available, nor is an RS version and diesel, but there will be a station wagon again, giving it a unique selling point. Electrification as a plug-in hybrid is not available. Instead, mild-hybrid technology could be used from the start, and a natural gas version is unlikely to be offered.

Much more mature in appearance – the Fabia is getting bigger

Unfortunately, the Fabia is also growing again and will exceed the four-meter mark in length for the first time. The width will also increase again. While this is a drawback for parking and frontal area, it brings noticeably more space inside: the trunk volume is expected to increase by 50 liters to 380 liters, and there will be more legroom in the back seats.

Designers have cleverly used the new dimensions to make the car look much more dynamic. The added width and length help with this. Inside, there is a modern cockpit in the style of the Octavia and other models, and Skoda is now also using the Modular Infotainment Matrix MIB 3.0, with touchscreens ranging from 6.5 to 9.2 inches in size, and upgrading safety and assistance systems.

What does that mean?

The next Fabia will be much more mature than its predecessor and should hold its own well in the competitive environment, as long as combustion engines are still in demand, because it offers no prospects in terms of electrification.